Display container



Aug 12 1952 v. G. KNUDsoN DISPLAY CONTAINER 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed Jan. 20, 1951 Znventor V. G. KNUDSON DISPLAY CONTAINER ug. m, 1952 2 SHEETS--Si-IEET 2 Filed Jan. 20. 1951 @Mommy Patented Aug. 12, 1952 UNITE-D :STATES OFFICE-f y Vernis G. Knudsen, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Treasure Masters Corporation, Minneapolis, Minn., alcorporation of Minnesota Application January 20, 1951, Serial No.20'7,033

` provision of a container for displaying Smerchandise ofthe class above-described, which pro-'- videsV Ya merchandisefreceiving well `into which and from which merchandise may be quickly inserted and removed.l

.A stili further object of my invention isY the.

provision of a display 'container of the `classv immediately above-described, which-provides means for -preventing .accidental x'dislodgment of the merchandise in the well.

A still further object of myn invention is the provisionof a container of the type above-described, which provides means for facilitating removal of the l merchandise .thereim irrespective of whether, the containersare packed in a larger container in end-toend relationship.

A still further object of `my 'invention is the provisionof novel means, in ,a container of the class immediately above-described, for permitting easy lifting and removal of the individual con-.

tainers when said containers are packed in tight end-tou-end relationship in a larger display container. The above and still rfurther objects of my invention will become apparent fromk the following detailed specification, appended claims, and attached drawings. v

Referring to the drawings, wherein like char` acters indicate like parts throughout the several views: Fig. 1 is a View in plan of the blank from which my novel container is formed; g f Fig. 2 isa view corresponding to Fig. 1 and illustrating Vthe blankof Fig. 1 in partly folded container-forming condition;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of my novel container as seen from the top thereof. the scale being reduced with respect toFigs. 1 and 2; `Fig. 4 is aA view in perspective l of my novel containerfas seendrom the bottomv thereof, the same corresponding to the scale of Fig. A3;

Fig. 5 is a View intop `plan of a plurality .of

4 Claims. (o1. 2o6-44.12)

2 f mynovel containersin closely-spaced end-to-end relationship within a master container; and

Fig. 6 is a view in section, taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5..

, Referring with greater particularity to the drawings. the letter A indicates, in its entirety. a blank from which my novel container is formed. The. numeral I indicates a generally rectangular bottom wall element having a longitudinally-extended slit 2 `formed in its central portion. A front wall-forming element 3 is connected to the bottom wall-forming memberl along a transverse fold line 4. Said element 3 is divided into inner and outer wall-forming portions 5 and yIi respectively` by the transverse fold line "I. As shown, a1preferably circular aperture 8 is diametrically intersect-.ed by thefold line 1.

An elongatedfsidewall element 9 is connected to the bottom wall element vI along a longitudinallyfextendedfold line I0 and extends laterally therefrom. A generally U-shaped partial upper wall I I v i s connected to the side wall 9 along a longitudinallyfextended fold line I2 and projects laterally therefrom. The vopposite side of the partial `top wall I I is defined by another longitudinally-extended. fold line I3 from which a second side ywall-forming element I4 extends laterally. Vlt will be noted that side wall elements 9` and I4. are of'i'dentical sizes and Vshape and each thereof has an ear I5 and I6 respectively projecting forwardlyf thereof along transverse fold lines I'IV and I8 respectively. Projecting laterally from side wall-forming element I4, along longitudinal fold line I9, is an anchoringflap 20 having convergingsides 2| which terminate in a relatively pointed end 22. Also, preferably and' as shown, the anchoring flap 20, along the converging sides 42|, is provided with aligned irl-' wardly-projecting Vslits '23, the importance of which will hereinafter' become apparent.`

Projecting rearwardly' from the partial'top wall Il, along'transvers'e fold line 24, is a back'wallforming element 25 having an anchoring lip 26 projecting still' rearwardly therefrom along fold line`21. It willfbe noted that an aperture 28 is positioned Vpartly in the back wall element 25 and partly in the partial top wall element II. Also, it will be notedthat the anchoring lip 26 is vnotched at 2$lfora` purpose Which will also hereinafter become apparent. y

A tongue, identied in its entirety by the numeral 30, is c ut from the'partial top wall II along generally diverging lines 3I, which terminate at fold lines I2 and I3 and are cut from the accept 30 is folded away from the top element II, along cut lines 3I and 32, only a generally rectangular portion 35 adjacent the back end wall element 2",

and laterally-spaced forwardly-projecting web elements 36, remain. t

The formation of my novel display carton or container from the blank A is accomplished by bending the side wall element 9 upwardly with respect to the bottom-forming element I, along fold line I0. Thereafter, the top-forming element II, with the tongue 39 attached thereto, is bent at substantially right angles to side-forming element 9, along fold line I2, whereby the same overlies the bottom-forming element I in spaced parallel relationship thereto (see Fig. 2). The tongue 3i! is then bent along fold lines 34 and 35, whereby that portion thereoi between said fold lines defines the rear end 31 of a display-receiving well B and the portion 38'forwardly of the fold line defines the floor of said well B. vrAs* shown in Fig. 6, the floor 38 immediatelyoverlies and rests upon the bottom-form-- ing element I and terminates at 39, immediately.

adjacent the fold line 4. Next, the opposite side wall` element I4 is bent at right angles in the direction of the bottom-forming element I and the ears I5 and Iare bent inwardly in opposing relationship. The 'front wall-forming element 3 is then bent at right angles along-'fold lines 4 and 1, whereby to receive, between the inner and outer elern'e'r'ii'is,4 5 and lI5, the ears I5 and I5.

of theinner wall-forming portion 5 frictionally abut each other `and tend-l Ahold each other in position.

right angles along the fold line I9, vas shown particularly by Fig. 4, and the 'pointed end 22V is caused to be inserted in the'sli-t, 2, at which point:

it will be observed" that the slitsA 23` permit that portion of' the bottom-formingfelement I, iminediately adjacent the opposite ends ofthe slit 2, to be ieceivedtherein to assure locking. Lastly, the anchoring lip 26 is bent 'inwardly along the fold linefl with a portion thereof underlying the anchoring" ap 29. It will be noted, particularly by reference. to Fig. 4, that the notch 29 aligns with and enters` into the adjacent slit 23 ofthe anchoringiiap 29, thus assuring adequate locking of all parts of the. container formed thereby. It willA benoted that. when my novel display container is fully formed', the circular aperture 8. becomes a segmental notch 40 which extends downwardly from the fold line 'I as shown particularly by reference to Fig. 3. Notch 40 facilitates removal from the display well B of such compressible stacked items as miniature folded greeting cards C or the like, and their envelopes,A not shown, by insertion of the foreiinger to a point below the upper most of said cards C. It will also be noted, particularly by reference to Fig; 5, that the opposed web elements 36f'adequately retain the compressed cards C within the Well B. i

Frequently it is desirable-to pack a plurality of my novel display containers in a master boxA or It willl be noted that the free forward end 39 of the' floor element 38V and the downturiied free edge 4 carton D, in order that a choice or selection of cards C, differing in color and design, may be made available to the purchaser. By reference to Figs. 5 and 6, further advantages of my novel structure will become apparent. As there shown, when a plurality of my novel containers are packed in a master box or container D in endto-end relationship, the notches 40 in the front wall-forming element 3 arealigned with and positioned immediately adjacent the aperture 28, part `of which is in the back wall-forming element 25 and part in the partial top wall I I. With this arrangement, the purchaser may readily insert his finger through the aperture 28 and into the notch 4U for' the purpose of withdrawing card C from a given container in the lower row of containers-or alternately, he may insert his finger through the notch 4I) and into the opening 28 for the purpose of removing the entire container in the row thereabove.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my novel structure, it is obvious that the same is capable of modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is: f

1. A blankfor forming a display carton for greeting cards and the like, said blank including a bottom wall element, a front wall element connected to said bottom wall element along a. trans-4 verse fold line and projecting forwardly therefrom, said front wall element being provided with avfold line midway of its length whereby'to permit same to be folded double upon itself and deiining inner 'and outer front wall portions, said front portion being provided with a circular opening the .center of which intersects the fold line intermediate said outer and inner end wall portions and defining a notch along the upper edge of said portion when said elements are folded one upon the other, a, side wall element projecting laterally from said bottom wall element and connected thereto along a longitudinal fold line, a partial top wall element projecting laterally from said sidewall element and 'connectedlthereto along a ylongitudinal fold line,'a second'side wall element projecting .laterally from said'partial top wall element and `connected'thereto along a longitudinal fold line, an anchoring iiap projecting laterally from said last-mentioned end wall and connected thereto along a longitudinal fold line, saidbottom wall being provided with a centrallypositioned slit and said ap having converging side walls and being provided with opposed inwardly-projecting slits inwardly-spaced from its pointed end, the pointed end of said Iiap being adapted to be.A received within the slit in said bottom wall element when said before-mentionedy wall-forming elements are folded to containerforming positions, the slits in said iiap having locking engagement with the side portions of the slit in said bottom'. wall element, a back wallforming element projecting rearwardly from said partial top wall element and connected thereto along a transverse fold line inalignment with theqback of said bottom wall. a locking lip pro.- Jecting rearwardly from said back wall-forming element and connected thereto along a transverse fold line, said locking lip havingv a portion adapted tobe received between the locking flap and the bottom wall element, and a tongue connected to said partial topj wall element on a fold line extending transversely thereof and for-f wardly-spaced from the back` wall element, said tonguehaving a reduced portion at its rear end which terminates in spaced relationship to the fold line dening the back end wall element.

2. The structure dened in claim 1 in which said connected partial top wall and back wall elements are provided with an aperture which intersects the transverse fold line separating same and in which said side wall elements are provided with forwardly-projecting ears, each of which is adapted to be received between the inner and outer portions of the front wall element.

3. A generally-rectangular container for displaying a stack of relatively iiat merchandise, said container comprising a bottom wall, opposed side walls, front and back end walls and a partial top wall connected to said side walls and said back end wall, said partial top wall including a generally-rectangular portion adjacent the back end wall and laterally-spaced forwardly-extended web elements connected to said side walls, said webs terminating in spaced relation to the front wall, and a tongue connected to said partial top wall intermediate said web elements and depending therefrom into engagement with the bottom wall, said front end wall being provided along its upper edge with a finger notch which facilitates removing of stacked articles from said container and in which said partial top wall and back end wall are provided with connected nger notches which facilitate lifting of said container by engagement of the finger with the top wall intermediate said last-mentioned notch and said depending tongue, said first and last-mentioned notches aligning with each other when a plurality of said containers are placed in end-to-end engagement in a larger display carton.

4. A generally rectangular container for displaying a stack of sheet-like merchandise, said container being formed from a single blank of sheet material and comprising a bottom wall, opposed side walls, front and back end walls, and a partial top wall, said top wall being generally U-shaped and including a rectangular portion connected to the side walls and said back end Wall and a pair of forwardly-extending web elements which terminate in spaced relation to the front end wall, and a tongue connected to said partial top wall intermediate said web elements, said tongue depending from said top wall into engagement with said bottom wall and from thence extending forwardly in engagement with said bottom wall and terminating in close proximity to the front end wall whereby to deiine the floor and rear end of an article-receiving well forwardly spaced from said back end wall, said front end wall being folded upon itself along its upper edge whereby to provide an outer wall portion connected to the bottom wall and an inner wall portion which projects downwardly toward and terminates in close proximity to said floor and bottom wall, said front wall being provided along its central upper edge with a finger notch which facilitates removing of stacked sheet articles from said container well, and in which said partial top and back end walls are provided with matching finger notches which facilitate lifting of said container by inserting a finger therethrough into engagement with the top wall intermediate said back end wall and said depending tongue, said first and last-mentioned notches aligning with each other when a plurality of said containers are placed in end to end engagement in a larger display carton.

VERNIS G. KNUDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 793,803 Parsons July 4, 1905 1,678,538 Tanner July 24, 1928 1,934,362 Levkoi Nov. 7, 1933 1,982,390 Lewis Nov. 27, 1934 2,170,723 Marx Aug. 22, 1939 2,375,843 Gottlieb May 15, 1945 

